Mister X Condemned #1

by Dean Motter

It's good to see this back. I remember reading a trade of some of the Los Bros. Hernandez issues back when I was in my early teens, and being fascinated with the idea that architecture can influence peoples' mental state to that degree (this was years before I'd heard of feng shui).

Now Motter has returned to Radiant City, and it's buildings are being torn down as a part of the New Broom initiative. Motter makes this issue very accessible to new readers - spending most of the book establishing characters and motivations, but also re-creating the feel of this futuristic city.

I've always appreciated Motter's style of retro-futurism. Sure, cars fly here, but journalists also have pneumatic tubes dropping off assignments at their desks. One character name drops Terminal City - another Motter classic.

Motter's art here is beautiful. His lines are thick and solid, and his buildings and giant robots convey a consistency of design principles. I think I may have to go buy the new archive edition Dark Horse has put out.....